Ribbon cassettes with prethreaded vibrator and ribbon feed means

ABSTRACT

Interchangeable ribbon cartridge constructions for housing, for facile mounting in a typewriter, an endless composite two color fabric ribbon, an endless fabric and an error correction ribbon, or a carbon ribbon and an error correction ribbon. The cartridges comprise left and right housings and front and back rigid connecting members extending between ribbon openings in the housings. The front connecting member includes prethreaded ribbon vibrator and guide means which automatically couples to ribbon elevating means when a selected cartridge is top loaded in the typewriter. The cartridges include pull type ribbon drive systems which freely track ribbon through the vibrator means from supply spools or supply compartments. Spent carbon and error correction ribbons are housed in storage compartments. Fabric ribbon is packed randomly accordian fashion in a supply compartment of one housing and freely tracks continuously through the other housing and the vibrator means. Cartridges accommodating an error correction ribbon and either a fabric or a carbon ribbon house the ribbons in vertically spaced compartments with the error correction ribbon moving opposite the inked ribbons when selected for operation.

United States Patent 1 1 F rechette RIBBON CASSETTES WITH PRETHREADEDVIBRATOR AND RIBBON FEED MEANS [75] lnventor: Thomas E. Frechette,Windsor Locks, Conn.

[73] Assignee: Litton Business Systems, Inc., New

York, NY.

[22] Filed: June 3, 1974 [21] Appl. No; 475,652

[52] US. Cl. 197/151; 197/156; 197/162; 197/168; 197/170 [51] Int. Cl.841.] 33/14 [58] Field of Search 197/151, 156,162,168, 197/170 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,015 2/1959 Gray 197/1512,883,029 4/1959 Gray 197/162 3,151,724 10/1964 Ross et all 197/1513,272,304 9/1966 Morelli 197/151 3,396,828 8/1968 Moshier et a1 197/1513,513,957 5/1970 Ricciardi ct a1. 197/151 3,643,777 2/1972 Anderson etall 197/151 3,643,779 2/1972 Anderson et al. 197/151 3,804,227 4/1974Cappotto et aim. 197/170 X 3,830,351 8/1974 Cappotto 197/151 X [4 1Sept. 9, 1975 Primary Examiner-Ernest T. Wright, Jr. Attorney, Agent, orFirm-J0seph R. Spalla; Arthur Gershman [57] ABSTRACT Interchangeablen'bbon cartridge constructions for housing, for facile mounting in atypewriter, an endless composite two color fabric ribbon, an endlessfabric and an error correction ribbon, or a carbon ribbon and an errorcorrection ribbon. The cartridges comprise left and right housings andfront and back rigid connecting members extending between ribbonopenings in the housings. The front connecting member includesprethreaded ribbon vibrator and guide means which automatically couplesto ribbon elevating means when a selected cartridge is top loaded in thetypewriter. The cartridges include pull type ribbon drive systems whichfreely track ribbon through the vibrator means from supply spools orsupply compartments. Spent carbon and error correction ribbons arehoused in storage compartments. Fabric ribbon is packed randomlyaccordian fashion in a supply compartment of one housing and freelytracks continuously through the other housing and the vibrator means.Cartridges accommodating an error correction ribbon and either a fabricor a carbon ribbon house the ribbons in vertically spaced compartmentswith the error correction ribbon moving opposite the inked ribbons whenselected for operation.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEB SEP 9 I975 SHEET 1 BF 5 PATENTEDSE? 9 i975 SHEET 2 [IF 5 k mm $5 g N a SHEET 3 [IF 5 o O N Q \m w mm mm0 Q mw wm 0 Wm & mm mm E II vm 9w 0 an on m vm 93 N\ 93 mm F. a Q k mm ai a m i m wk cm N Mm E l mm Hm $5 KM. MN I mm 2k PATENTEU SEP 1975PATENTEU SEP 9 75 SHEET 5 [1F 5 RIBBON CASSETTES WITH PRETHREADEI)VIBRATOR AND RIBBON FEED MEANS This invention relates to interchangeableribbon supply cartridges accommodating either an endless composite twocolor fabric ribbon, a single color fabric ribbon and a one-time errorcorrection ribbon, or a one time carbon ribbon and a one-time errorcorrection ribbon; more particularly, the invention relates tointerchangeable ribbon supply cartridges including prethreaded vibratormeans to enable facile top loading of the cartridges; and specifically,the invention relates to interchangeable ribbon cartridges including aprethreaded ribbon vibrator and including pull type ribbon drive systemsto freely move ribbon past the printing point of a typewriter underproper tension.

In a typewriter or like business machine, it is a desirable objective tobe able to change ribbons without having to manipulate ribbons or spoolor spool housings to operatively mount them on the machine, to providecartridges for facilitating loading of ribbons in a machine, and toeasily interchange one type of ribbon or ribbons for another typedepending on the type of work. Another desirable objective is to providecartridges which contain both inked and error correction ribbons, thelatter of which can be operatively brought into play to correct errorsand otherwise to provide cartridges which contain adequate supplies ofribbon to reduce the frequency of ribbon changes.

An object of the invention is in the provision of ribbon cartridgeswhich may be loaded in a typewriter and automatically connected withribbon operating mechanisms of the typewriter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ribbon supply cartridgewhich includes a prethreaded ribbon vibrator that is automaticallyoperatively couplable to ribbon elevating means when the cartridge isloaded in a typewriter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ribbon cartridge havingleft and right housings joined by interconnecting members through whichribbon is guided and provided with pull type ribbon feed systemscouplable to typewriter ribbon drive mechanisms to permit free trackingof ribbon.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of ribbon cartridgescontaining channels to control randomly folded endless ribbon to providefree tracking of ribbon.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of ribboncartridges having vertically compartmented housings to accommodate inkedand error correction ribbons which can be selectively engaged foroperation.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

F IG. I is a perspective view showing a cartridge in accordance with theinvention provided with prcthreaded ribbon vibrator guide means andribbon feed gears positioned for mounting on cartridge mountingplatforms on the machine and couplable to ribbon drive gears on themachine and to ribbon elevating means on the machine;

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a ribbonvibrator guide meansassociated with an inked and error correction ribbon cartridge;

FIG.2a is a detailed perspective view of an additional embodiment of aribbon-vibrator guide means wherein the ribbon-vibrator guide means isassociated with a two color ribbon cartridge;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the coupling between ribbonelevating means and the ribbonvibrator guide means supported in thecartridge;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the cartridge taken along lines 4-4 ofFIG. 1 with the top cover removed and showing a fabric ribbon supply inthe upper compartment level of the left housing and the channelconfiguration for tracking the ribbon through the cartridges;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 4 showing a carbon ribbonsupply spool in the upper compartment of the right housing and a usedcarbon ribbon storage compartment occupying both levels in the oppositehousing; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 1 showing thelower compartment levels of the left and right housings containing theerror correction supply spool in the left housing and the errorcorrection pull drive and used storage compartment in the oppositehousing.

Referring now to the drawing with reference to FIG. I, there is shown anassembled fabric ribbon-error correction ribbon containing cartridgegenerally designated by reference numeral 11 which supports aribbon-vibrator guide means generally designated by reference numeral 12through which an inked (fabric or carbon) ribbon l3 and an errorcorrection ribbon 14 are prethreaded. The cartridge 11 is adaped to bemounted on typewriter frame supported platforms 15, 16 to place feedgears 76, 77 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and 78, 79 (FIG. 6) within the cartridge 11into meshing engagement with ribbon drive gears 17, 18 rotatably mountedon and extending through the platforms l5, l6 and to place theribbon-vibrator guide means 12 between a type guide 21 and printingplaten 22 and coupled to ribbon elevating means generally designated byreference numeral 23.

As shown in FIG. 1 and with reference also to FIG. 4, the cartridge 11comprises a top cover 24, a bottom section generally designated byreference numeral 25 having a bottom wall 26 and upwardly directed sidewalls 27, and a section 28 intermediate the top cover 24 and bottom wall26 which is supported in the bottom section 25. The assembly formsspaced left and right box-like housings generally designated byreference numerals 31 and 32 each having upper and lower compartments33, 34 which are interconnected in spaced apart relationship by a frontconnecting wall 27 and spaced rear connecting walls 27'. Associated withthe front connecting wall 27 of the bottom section 25 and paralleltherewith is a wall 29 secured to bottom section 25 as at snap on points(FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) and pins 30 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6). The walls 27, 29 and27' form front and rear passageways 35, 36 through which ribbon 13 inthe upper compartment 33 and ribbon 14 in the lower compartment 34 passrespectively from left housing 31 to right housing 32 through theribbon-vibrator guide means 12.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the connecting walls 27 and 29 forming thefront passageway 35 are rearwardly canted and in the central portion aresubstantially parallel and extend upwardly and downwardly to form awindow like frame 37 around an opening 38 wherein is slidably supportedthe ribbon-vibrator guide means 12 through which ribbons l3 and 14 arethreaded.

With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a, the ribbonvibrator guide means 12is slidably supported as by keys 41 extending laterally from theribbon-vibrator guide means 12 between the parallel front wall 27 andrear wall 29 forming the front passageway 35 (FIG. 4). As viewed inFIGS. 2, 2a and 3, the ribbon-vibrator guide means 12 comprises anupwardly open fork whose vertical arms 42 contain ribbon 43U, 43L and438.

In those cartridges 11 which house inked fabric ribbon 13FR or carbonribbon l3CR and error correction ribbon 14 as illustrated in FIG. 2, twodiscrete vertically spaced ribbon channels 43U and 43L will be formed ineach of the fork arms 42 with the lower channels 43L offset slightlyrearwardly of the upper channels 43U; and with the lower edge 44 of theupper channel 43U aligned with the upper edge 45 of the lower channel43L. The upper channel 43U accommodates a 0.312 inch wide inked fabric13FR or carbon 13CR ribbon, and the lower channel 43L accommodates a0.250 inch wide error correction ribbon 14. As illustrated in FIG. 2a,where a composite standard width 0.562 inch fabric two color ribbon 13TCis housed in cartridge 11 as will hereinafter appear, only a singlechannel 438 in each of the vibrator arms 42 will be provided with thatcartridge 11 and the housings 31, 32 will not be verticallycompartmented.

Entrance to the ribbon guide channels 43U, 43L and 43S to mount a ribbonor ribbons 13, 14 therein prior to snapping the walls 27 and 29 formingthe front passageway 35 together is by way of horizontal slots 46 in thearms 42 communicating with the ribbon channels 43U, 43L and 438.

With particular reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a, the lower ends of thevibrator arms 42 are offset rearwardly forming a shoulder 47 whereby theribbon-vibrator guide means 12 rests on the lower edge 48 of the frameopening 38. The common depending lower end 51 of the ribbon-vibratorguide means 12 is provided with a hollow chamber 52 (FIG. 3) for thereception of ribbon elevating means 23 operatively supported on themachine. The ribbon elevating means 23 as shown in FIG. 3 comprisesvertically extending arms 53 and 54 with the arm 53 connected to aribbon elevating crank rod 55 and with the arm 54 pivoted at its lowerend to arm 53. A spring 56 biases the arms 53, 54 scissors-like to openposition. The arms 53 and 54 extend through a guide slot 57 in a framemounted part 58 which holds them together as shown for free reception oftheir upper ends 61 into the chamber 52 of the ribbon vibrator guidemeans 12. When a character is typed, the crank rod 55 is oscillated andthe ribbon elevating means 23 rises and carries the ribbon-vibratorguide means 12 upwardly. As the scissor-like arms 53, 54 rise, bevellededges 62, 63 thereon are cammed by the guide slot 57 overcenter towardone another causing the hooked ends 61 thereof to overlie shoulders 64formed by a restricted opening to the chamber 52. This serves topositively withdraw the ribbon-vibrator guide means 12 on the downwardstroke of the ribbon elevating means 23. In a preferred embodiment, boththe ribbon elevating means 23 and the central portion of the frontpassageway 35 are canted or tilted from the vertical towards thetypewriter platen 22 on the order of 20 to facilitate loading of thecartridge 11 behind the type guide 21 on the machine.

A cartridge 11 as shown in FIG. 1 is designed to be held canted for toploading onto the platforms l5 and 16 with the ribbon-vibrator guidemeans 12 behind the type guide 21 for reception of the ribbon elevatingmeans 23 and with the forward canted walls 27 of the cartridge housings31, 32 engaging forwardly complementary canted walls 65, 66 on theplatforms 15, 16 and with the canted rear wall 27' mating with angledrear walls 67, 68 on the platforms 15, 16. Abutments 71 on the frontwall 27 of the cartridge housings 31, 32 are formed to push against andbe latched by platform mounted latches 72 coupled by links 73 to cranks74 which are rocked by operator controls 75 for releasing the latches 72to remove a cartridge 11.

With reference to FIGS. 4-6, ribbon feed gears 76, 77 (FIGS. 4 and 5)and 78, 79 (FIG. 6) respectively are pivotally mounted in the upper leftand lower right compartments 33L, 34R of cartridge housings 31, 32. Withthe cartridge 11 so mounted, the feed gears 76-77 and theribbon-vibrator guide means 12 on the cartridge 11 will be engaged withtheir operative members in the machine, namely drive gears 17 and 18 andribbon elevating means 23.

Referring now to FIG. 4 which shows the top cover 24 of the cartridge 11of FIG. I removed exposing first level compartments 33L and 33R in theleft and right housings 31 and 32 respectively, there is shown in theleft housing 31 the pair of meshing inked ribbon feed gears 76, 77pivotally mounted on pins 82 rising from wall 28. The feed gears 76, 77are located at the upper right entrance 81 to the upper left compartment33L of the housing 31. Each of the gears 76, 77 is provided with acircumferential groove intermediate its ends whereby to be embraced byC-shaped ribbon shedders 83 mounted on arcuate posts 84 upstanding fromthe center partition wall 28 defining the upper and lower levelcompartments 33, 34 of the housings 31, 32. As shown in FIG. 4, theshedders 83 prevent ribbon 13 from winding around the gears 76, 77 andserve to guide ribbon l3 exiting from the nip of the feed gears 76, 77.

When a cartridge 11 is to contain fabric ribbon 13FR in the upper levelcompartments 33L, 33R with error correction ribbon 14 in the bottomlevel compartments 34L and 34R, the fabric ribbon 13FR will be randomlystuffed in the left housing 31 and will be pulled leftwardly past theribbon-vibrator guide means 12 into the left housing 31 between the pulltype feed gears 76, 77. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper compartment 33L inthe left housing 31 in a fabric ribbon cartridge 11 is provided withribbon packing and guide partitions 85 and 86 extending from partitionwall 28 which conform to the shape of the posts 84 and extend therefromin the form of an elbow 87 leading from the ribbon shedders 83 whichincreases in width and joins the walls 27 connecting the housings 31,32. This elbow 87 provides an initial constriction 88 wherein therandomly folded fabric ribbon 13FR will be stuffed. As the fabric ribbon13FR is pushed toward and around the elbow 87, it enters a so-calledexplosion area 89 where it can expand rapidly and be easily pulled bythe feed gears 76, 77 around through the rear hollow connector andguides 91 and 92 supported by the partition wall 28 in the right housing32 and through the ribbon-vibrator guide means 12 in the front walls 27and 29 connecting the housings 31, 32. 1

Where the cartridge 1 1 is to contain a carbon ribbon 13CR and errorcorrection ribbon 14 in upper and lower level compartments 33, 34respectively, the partition wall 28 defining upper and lower levelcompartments 33, 34 respectively of the housings 31, 32, respectively ismodified in the area of left housing 31 to allow accummulation of usedcarbon ribbon 13CR in both upper and lower compartments 33, 34 of theleft housing 31.

With particular reference to FIG. 5, a spooled supply 93 of carbonribbon 13CR will be rotatably mounted on a post 94 rising from thepartition wall 28 into the upper compartment 33R of the right housing 32and will be trained around guide 92 through the ribbonvibrator guidemeans 12 and between feed gears 76, 77. In the left housing 31, thepartition section 28 supports ribbon guide partitions 95 and 96 whichextend upwardly to top cover 24 and downwardly to bottom wall 26. Asshown a portion 97 of partition 95 extending into the upper compartment33L extends from the front wall 27 and around posts 84. A second portion98 of partition 95 reaching upwardly and downwardly into the upper andlower compartments 33, 34 respectively, extends laterally from the areaof post 84 toward the end wall 27 of the housing 31 and curves around tothe front wall 27 of the housing 31. Guide partition 96 similarlyextends from section 28 into upper and lower compartments 33, 34,respectively with the extension into the upper compartment 33 beginningat the area of the post 84 associated with gear 77 and joining theforward wall 27' of the rear cartridge connector. Thus, as viewed inFIG. 5, partitions 95 and 96 flare outwardly from the outlet of theribbon shedders 83 and spent carbon ribbon 13CR is accommodated in aspace between the upper cover 24 and lower section 28 of the lefthousing 31 and the area between connecting walls 27' to a blocking wall100 thus to accommodate as large an amount of spent carbon ribbon 13CRas possible.

In either a cartridge 11 with a fabric ribbon 13FR or carbon ribbon 13CRlocated in the upper compartment levels 33 of cartridge 11 illustratedin FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower compartment levels 34 can accommodate anerror correction ribbon 14. With reference to FIG. 6, which shows thelower compartment levels 34L and 34R of the cartridge housings 31, 32respectively exposed, the left housing 31 in the upper left cornermounts a spool 101 of error correction ribbon 14 which is trained over aguide 102 and through the lower channels 43L of the ribbon-vibratorguide means 12, a guide 92' depending from the partition section 28 intothe lower level compartment 34R of the right housing 32, and betweenmeshing feed gears 78, 79, mounted on pivot pins 99 as described inconnection with fabri" and carbon ribbon drive gears 76, 77 located inthe left housing 31. The error correction pull gears 78, .79 are locatedin the upper left corner of the lower compartment level 34R in the righthousing 32 and serve also to stuff the spent error correction ribbon 14in the lower compartment level 34R of the right housing 32 guided byribbon shcdders 103 to preclude ribbon 14 wrapping around the gears 78,79 after exiting therefrom.

As will be understood, either the left or right drive gears 17 or 18will be indexed incident to a type action asselected by an operatorcontrol (not'shown) linked tov conventional ribbon reverse mechanism(not shown) and linked to conventional mechanism (not shown) forconditioning the throw of the ribbon elevating means 23 to positioneither the inked ribbon 13 or error correction ribbon 14 for printing.

The constructions of cartridge 11 may be formed entirely of andassembled from plastic and the various parts, eg the bottom section 25,horizontal compartment divider section 28, top cover 24, wall 29, gears76, 77, 78, 79 shedders 83, 103, and ribbon-vibrator guide means 12 canbe assembled after mounting the various ribbons 13 by snapping the partstogether as by hollow posts 104 and pins 105 at appropriate locations.

The invention claimed is:

l. A ribbon cartridge to be operatively mounted in a typewriter havingribbon drive means and ribbon elevating means,

said cartridge comprising a first and a second housing, ribbon mountedin said first and second housings, and housing connectors having ribbonpassageways communicating with openings in said housings, saidconnectors joining said housings in spaced apart relationship definingan opening between housings, prethreaded ribbon vibrator means slidablymounted midway of one of said connectors and engagable with andelevatable by said ribbon elevating means, and

ribbon feed means mounted in said first housing, said feed means beingengagable with and drivable by said ribbon drive means to pull saidribbon from housing to housing through said vibrator means.

2. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein said ribbon is anendless fabric ribbon randomly packed in said first housing, and saidribbon cartridge further includes means in said first housing forcontrolling the movement of said fabric ribbon from housing to housingthrough said vibrator means.

3. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 2, said means for controllingthe movement of said fabric ribbon including a first, restricted passagein the first housing mounting said feed means leading from said feedmeans thereby to stuff ribbon in said first housing, and a second widerpassage connected to said first, restricted passage to allow expansionof stuffed ribbon whereby said fabric ribbon can be easily pulledthrough said second housing and through said vibrator means.

4. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein said ribbon iscarbon ribbon spooled in said second housing, and having means in saidfirst housing for storing spent carbon ribbon.

5. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim I, wherein said ribbon mountedin said first and second housings includes inked ribbon and errorcorrection ribbon, and said second housing includes correction ribbonfeed means operatively associated with said ribbon drive means.

6. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, said first and secondhousings each having upper and lower compartments, said ribboncomprising a supply of inked ribbon in an upper housing compartment, anda supply of error correction ribbon in a lower housing compartment, andeach housing having ribbon feed means associated with said ribbons, bothof said ribbon feed means being selectively operable to pull associatedribbon in said first housing, and wherein the supply of error correctionribbon is housed in said second housing.

9. A cartridge as recited in claim 6, said ribbon feed means including apair of meshing gears in each of said housings.

10. A cartridge as recited in claim 9, including ribbon shedders locatedat the outlet nip of said gears.

1. A ribbon cartridge to be operatively mounted in a typewriter having ribbon drive means and ribbon elevating means, said cartridge comprising a first and a second housing, ribbon mounted in said first and second housings, and housing connectors having ribbon passageways communicating with openings in said housings, said connectors joining said housings in spaced apart relationship defining an opening between housings, prethreaded ribbon vibrator means slidably mounted midway of one of said connectors and engagable with and elevatable by said ribbon elevating means, and ribbon feed means mounted in said first housing, said feed means being engagable with and drivable by said ribbon drive means to pull said ribbon from housing to housing through said vibrator means.
 2. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein said ribbon is an endless fabric ribbon randomly packed in said first housing, and said ribbon cartridge further includes means in said first housing for controlling the movement of said fabric ribbon from housing to housing through said vibrator means.
 3. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 2, said means for controlling the movement of said fabric ribbon including a first, restricted passage in the first housing mounting said feed means leading from said feed means thereby to stuff ribbon in said first housing, and a second wider passage connected to said first, restricted passage to allow expansion of stuffed ribbon whereby said fabric ribbon can be easily pulled through said second housing and through said vibrator means.
 4. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein said ribbon is carbon ribbon spooled in said second housing, and having means in said first housing for storing spent carbon ribbon.
 5. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein said ribbon mounted in said first and second housings includes inked ribbon and error correction ribbon, and said second housing includes correction ribbon feed means operatively associated with said ribbon drive means.
 6. A ribbon cartridge as recited in claim 1, said first and second housings each having upper and lower compartments, said ribbon comprising a supply of inked ribbon in an upper housing compartment, and a supply of error correction ribbon in a lower housing compartment, and each housing having ribbon feed means associated with said ribbons, both of said ribbon feed means being selectively operable to pull associated ribbon from said supplies into opposite housing compartments.
 7. A cartridge as recited in claim 6, wherein said inked ribbon is a fabric ribbon whose supply is housed in said first housing, and wherein the supply of said error correction ribbon is housed in said first housing.
 8. A cartridge as recited in claim 6, wherein said inked ribbon is carbon ribbon whose supply is housed in said first housing, and wherein the supply of error correction ribbon is housed in said second housing.
 9. A cartridge as recited in claim 6, said ribbon feed means including a pair of meshing gears in each of said housings.
 10. A cartridge as recited in claim 9, including ribbon shedders located at the outlet nip of said gears. 